


Jenny in the Gamma Forest

by TheEyeofTheOncomingStorm



Series: The Doctor's Daughter [1]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gamma Forests, Lorna Bucket's family, The Gamma Forests
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-12
Updated: 2017-02-12
Packaged: 2018-09-19 15:15:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9447125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEyeofTheOncomingStorm/pseuds/TheEyeofTheOncomingStorm
Summary: Jenny's first foray to the Gamma Forests leads her to pick up on her father's trail.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is a rewrite of a fanfic I did on FF.net a long time ago. I've been meaning to have another go at this series, though I don't know if I'll have the time to finish the fic that came after this, since I'm trying to get more serious about my non-fanfic related writing.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this story, and if you want to see the original, it's still over on FF.net by the name "Jenny and the Gamma Forests".

The name, Gamma Forests, was slightly misleading, because it was an entire planet of forest. A single, widespread forest, even spreading out to span the seas with rich mangrove islands. An entire world of forest and trees and people, who lived and worked and foraged to make a living, aside from the bustling tourist industry. The denseness of the forests meant that any place large enough to land a ship had to be created. Most were on mountain tops, one of the only parts of the planet where the forests could not reach. Jenny found herself on a smaller one of these mountain shipyards, that was little more than a wide cliff. After docking, she followed the signs to the little vilage that lived in the shadow of the mountain.  
  
The cleric who had told her about the Gamma forests had said the they were as close to heaven as you could get. Now here, Jenny could see what she meant. If she could not see any more of the planet than that one settlement, it still would have been worth the month-long trip out here. Trees towered over the path that lead to the village, casting down green hued light. There were blossoms on nearly every tree or bush, and even the slightest wind send down a shower of delicate pink, white, and yellow petals. The air was heavily perfumed with the fragrence of various types of flowers and the green sweet-tart smell of ripening fruit.  
  
The path that Jenny was on took her up and over hills, exhibiting several beautiful vistas from which she could see the small settlement below, and waterfalls, each with their own character and looks. A tall, narrow cascade that plummeted down from a cliff, that was so tall that the water turned to mist before it hit the pool below. A shorter, more robust waterfall that fell and stopped three more time before turning into a river that disappeared into the verdant forests below. And a third wide waterfall that flowed down one side of the mountain, slowly cutting and carving away at the old stone, water wearing away and making room for itself. She stopped for a little while at each one, admiring them before she moved on.  
  
Once in the village, even she could tell that the tourist business taken it's toll here, with flashy signs and posters, and brochures at nearly every venue and kiosk, advertising guided tours, nature walks, and a bus tour across the continent. Parts of the Gamma Forest culture were taken and presented in a very simplified and cheapening display. Jenny shook her head in disgust. She'd seen what this kind of thing had done to other parts of the galaxy, taking a planets entire culture and boiling it down to its most simplified and often very stereotypical, just to turn it around and sell it for profit.  
  
She walked past all these shops, and went looking for the rest of the village, but one of the last little booths had caught her eye. They were selling many beautiful embroidered items, from simple monogrammed napkins and handkerchiefs, to the more complex and intriguing portraits and landscapes. An small embroidered sign read "Sourced from local materials - Crafted by local artisans" in Common*. But what attracted Jenny's attention was a grand portrait of a young man, dressed formally, holding what looked like a weapon and pointing it at some beetle-looking aliens in the distance. And just behind the man, in the distance, there was a blue box.  
  
A girl who looked about Jenny's age was sitting behind the counter, embroidering a small object, that was vaguely star-shaped. She looked up breifly and noticed Jenny, looking at some of the work. Jenny was so engrossed in the portrait that she jumped slightly when the other young woman spoke. "It's called The Day of the Doctor. My gran did that one. Do you like it?"  
  
Jenny nodded, still looking at the figure in the portrait. "So that's the Doctor?"  
  
"He was here once." The girl explained. "But just once, when I was a little girl. I never met him, but my sister did. She was different after, making trouble, wanting to travel more. I suppose that's why she became a cleric. We both learned how to embroider from our mother and grandmother. My gran's the one who started selling her embroidery here. But it's just me left to take care of mum now, so I work here." The girl shook her head, as surprised at herself. "I don't know why I'm telling you all this."  
  
Jenny smiled at her. "I seem to have that effect on everyone. I think I inheritanted it from my dad. I'm Jenny."  
  
The young woman held out her hand to shake. "My name's Duna Bucket. Can I help you find something?"  
  
"Not right now." Jenny said. She pointed to the piece Duna had been working on before. "Can I ask, what is that?"  
  
Duna carefully handed it to Jenny. "It's not finished. It's called a prayer leaf. People have their children's names embroidered on them. We believe that if you have one, your child will always come back to you. Traditionally, it's made by someone else, then given to the parent when their child leaves home for the first time. My sister's just left with her platoon, so I'm making this one for our mum."  
  
"It's beautiful." Jenny handed the prayer leaf back to Duna. "Do you make these for other people? Like, people from the Gamma Forests, not just tourists."  
  
"Tourists buy a lot of these, I don't think I'd be able to keep this booth open if I weren't selling to them. But a lot of people from all over the Forests buy from be also, those who want one but either can't or don't know how."  
  
Jenny was silent for a moment. Duna could tell that she was thinking something. "What is it?"  
  
Jenny shrugged. "Nothing really. I was just thinking that I wish I could buy one for my dad, but it's sort of pointless because I don't know where he is because he's always traveling and he doesn't even know that I'm looking for him... He thinks I'm dead, you see."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry." Duna said. Then she had an idea. "You said that your dad travels a lot?"  
  
Jenny glanced over at the tapestry she'd been examining before. "Oh yes. Nearly all the time."  
  
"Then why don't you commission one for him with your name on it, then I'll leave it up here for people to see." She gestured to the side of the booth that had pieces that were marked with bits of paper pinned to them. "I do it all the time. If your dad travels as much as you say he does, maybe he'll end up here. Then at least he knows you're still around."  
  
Jenny glanced at the embrodered portrait of her father. "What if he's been here before? What if he'll never come here again?"  
  
Dura scoffed at the idea. "I've seen plenty of people come here and keeping coming back for a holiday. Look, I know it's a bit unlikely, but there's still a small chance."  
  
"Just a bit unlikely." Jenny agreed. "Alright, how much?"  
  
"20 credits, 25 if you want to pick the fabric and thread." Duna indicated the box at the end of the table. Jenny selected a rich blue fabric and a spool of light golden thread.  
  
"I'm going to need your last name and your dad's first and last name." Duna commented as Jenny handed her the materials and the money. Jenny seemed distracted, looking at something of the the side of Duna's booth.  
  
Jenny continued as if nothing had happened. "I don't have a last name. It's just Jenny."  
  
Duna made a note on a piece of paper, and Jenny added. "And my dad's name is like mine, just one word. The Doctor."  
  
Duna stopped, and looked at her. Jenny was looking away again. "Did you say the Doctor? Like, The Doctor?"  
  
Jenny nodded distractedly, still looking away. "Yeah. Do you know him?"  
  
Duna looked but saw nothing. "I've never met him before, no."  
  
"Never met who before?"  
  
She looked back at Jenny, who seemed confused."The- I don't know. What were you saying?"  
  
"My dad's name is the Doctor." Jenny repeated.  
  
"You're the Doctor's daughter?" Duna shook her head. "So you've met him? I mean, he's your dad, of course you've met him."  
  
Jenny smiled impishly at Duna. "I guess you have something to brag to your sister about now." The two girls laughed together, each others strange behavior forgotten.  
  
"It's an honor to meet you, Jenny." Duna stuck out her hand to shake Jenny's.  
  
Jenny took it and shook heartily. "Likewise, Duna Bucket."

* * *

  
Jenny was returning to her ship for the night, cursing herself for not thinking ahead enough to book a few nights at the local inn. She punched in the passcode for the door. Jenny's shoulder's slumped as the keypad glowed red for a moment. She knew what was going to happen next.  
  
"Unauthorized passcode. Correct sequence required."  
  
"Not again. I thought I fixed this." Jenny groaned. She tried it again.  
  
"Unauthorized passcode. Please enter correct passcode or speak verbal passcode."  
  
Jenny saw a shawdow moving out of the corner of her eye. She turned around and saw the gray-skinned alien from the market. She spoke, mostly to herself. "I saw you in the village, I saw you and then I forgot. How could I forget?"  
  
The alien spoke to her, though it did not move it's mouth. "We are the silence. Silence will fall."  
  
Not understanding what it meant, Jenny tried to find out more. "What do you mean? You're a silence, and silence will fall. Are you in danger? Do you need help?"  
  
"You will lead us to the Doctor." It said.  
  
"I don't know where he is." Jenny said. "But I might be able to help."  
  
It spoke again, taking a step forward. "You will lead us to the Doctor."  
  
Jenny shrugged helplessly. "I'm sorry, I don't know where he is."  
  
"You will lead us to the Doctor and you will lead him to his death." It moved closer to her. "Then silence will fall."  
  
"What th- I will not lead you to the Doctor if you're going to kill him!"Jenny wished that she still carried weapon. She inched toward the door controls on the other side of the airlock, hoping that she could get them closed before the alien tried to get into her ship.  
  
"You will lead us to the Doctor and silence will fall." It said again.  
  
She neared the bulkhead, only a foot more to go. "Listen-"  
  
She jumped as a voice spoke behind her, taking her eyes off of the grey alien. "Incorrect verbal passcode. Please repeat verbal command, or enter correct passcode with the keypad."  
  
A shadow moving away from the ship made her look, but there was nothing there. The computer spoke again.  
  
"Please repeat verbal command, or enter correct passcode with the keypad."  
  
Shrugging, she turned back to the door, talking to herself. "I thought I already put in the code. Stupid thing, I thought I fixed this already." 

**Author's Note:**

> *Since the Tardis translates in most episodes of Doctor Who, we don't actually know what languages people speak. From what I can tell, though, there is usually a languge that many can understand. In most sci-fi stories, this is called Common. So that's what I went with.


End file.
